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Hangzhou

The beauty of Hangzhou has been revered for centuries. Surrounded by lush greenery and towering mountains, you will feel like you’ve stepped into an elegant Chinese painting. The land is green with agriculture, architecture is enchantingly rustic and there’s the majestic West Lake, the main attraction of Hangzhou.

Top 5 Must Do's

West Lake

With Chinese-style gazebos and pagodas adorning the beautiful lake, West Lake’s allure has inspired countless Chinese poets. Come here during the day for a cruise around the lake, visit the Mid-lake Pavilion Tea House, or just relax at the park. CNN Travel deemed it as one of the top most beautiful sunset spots in the world.

Lingyin Temple

To call the Temple of the Soul’s Retreat grand is no overstatement. There’s much ground to cover and countless artefacts and deities to view at this important Buddhist temple complex on the banks of West Lake.

Qinghefang Street

Time stood still in Qinghefang Ancient Street, where the very well-preserved antique historic street boasts many restaurants, teahouses and stores which carried forth its traditional look and feel for centuries. Its history traces back to the Southern Song Dynasty, and it continued to prosper in the Qing Dynasty.

Mei Jia Wu Tea Village

Visiting this sprawling tea plantation is truly a calming activity. Witness first-hand how China’s most renowned tea growers plant and harvest the prized “Longjing Tea”. The tea is named after Xi Hu Lake’s “Dragon Well” and has a history of over 20,000 years, where it was used as royal tribute due to its pleasing fragrance, full flavour and emerald colour. Bring home a pack or two as treasured souvenirs, or even enjoy a cup or two overlooking the lush green plantations.

Shanghai

Just an hour away via high speed train is the vibrant metropolis often referred to as the “Paris of the East”. China’s most influential city, Shanghai is a centre of development and is bustling with commerce, fashion and tourism. See the real life location of the popular drama “Shanghai Godfather” at The Bund, marvel in the classic architecture of Shanghai’s symbol the Oriental Pearl Tower, eat the legendary “Xiao Long Bao” in souvenir-filled Yuyuan Garden and don’t miss the opportunity to shop on Nanjing Walking Street.